Fans and families of the South Nashville team celebrate at the end of a 10-2 win over Corpus Christi, Texas, in an elimination game at the Little League World Series on Saturday. / AP

Written by

Tom Robinson

For The Tennessean

:

TODAY’S GAME

SOUTH NASHVILLE vs. NEWARK, DEL.• When: 3 p.m. TV: ESPN

TREK TO A TITLE

If South Nashville is to win the Little League World Series championship, here’s the schedule for it to advance: Today: 3 p.m (ESPN). Beat Newark, Del. Tuesday: 7 p.m. (ESPN2): Win a loser’s bracket game Thursday: 7 p.m. (ESPN): Win a loser’s bracket game Saturday: 2:30 p.m. (WKRN-2): Win the U.S. championship game Sunday: 2 p.m. (WKRN-2): Win the world championship game

More

ADVERTISEMENT

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, PA. — Playing with no margin of error is enough of a challenge.

Doing so against a dangerous opponent just adds to the difficulty.

When South Nashville lost its Little League World Series opener, it fell into the losers’ bracket. The road through the losers’ bracket has additional obstacles, including the first one Saturday that was against one of the traditionally strongest regions in the United States.

Since the current eight-region format went into effect in 2002, the West Region has had the most success in U.S. games, going 39-12 (.765).

The second- and third-most successful regions wound up head-to-head Saturday to determine which would be the first U.S. team eliminated from title contention.

After the teams matched outstanding pitching and defense through three hitless, errorless innings, Southeast champion South Nashville broke out for a 10-2 victory over Southwest champion Corpus Christi (Tex.) Universal.

Southeast teams went 29-18 (.617) from 2002-13 while the Southwest was 27-18 (.600).

The West, Southeast and Southwest were the only regions with winning records in U.S. games.

Throwing strikes: Managing pitching staffs — and pitch counts — within the rules of the safety-conscious Little League pitching limitations is a big part of getting through the series.

That is particularly true with additional games stacked up in the losers’ bracket.

One of the most effective ways to control pitch counts is to throw strikes.

Both starters did that Saturday.

South Nashville’s Ben Pickman responded well to each hint of trouble, making it through five innings in 64 pitches, including 51 strikes.

Jacob Garza was the only Texas batter to reach in the first three innings when he drew a walk to start the second. Pickman responded by throwing the next 11 pitches for strikes while recording four outs, including two on strikeouts.

After giving up his first two hits to the first two batters in the bottom of the fourth inning, Pickman came back to strike out the side, starting a stretch in which he threw 13 of his next 14 pitches for strikes.

Texas starter Jesus Ortiz showed similar efficiency early, making it through three innings in 24 pitches.

His total included five against Pickman to start the game and just 19 total on the next eight batters.

Pickman changed the look of the game in a nine-pitch at-bat to start the fourth inning. After fouling off three pitches with two strikes, he singled for the game’s first hit, starting a three-run inning.

“I knew we would get the runs eventually,” Pickman said. “But once they’re there, you just kind of relax a little more.

“You can just pitch your game a little more and not worry about giving up a hit here or there.”

Odds and ends: South Nashville manager Chris Mercado said before the tournament that his team has many stars still waiting to break out.

Pickman doubled, homered and scored both of the team’s runs in the first game, while Trae McLemore hit a grand slam and drove in six runs Saturday.

They were joined at the postgame press conference by Zane Denton, who had two hits and an RBI.

Mercado said he would not be surprised to have three different players with him if the team makes it back to the media room for interviews after another win.

• Denton and Pickman share the team lead with three hits at the World Series while Christopher McElvain, Knox Preston and McLemore have two each.

• Preston hit his head and left the game in the sixth inning Saturday. He was evaluated and has been cleared to play, Mercado said.

• South Nashville had a morning practice Sunday and had optional additional batting at the cages Sunday night.

• Texas teams had not lost an opener at the Little League World Series since 1963. They had won 12 straight openers before Corpus Christi Universal finished the tournament 0-2.

• Major League Baseball executive Joe Torre, the former New York Yankees manager, was honored Sunday in Williamsport with the William A. “Bill” Shea Little League Graduate of the Year award.

Torre was honored for his long career and his commitment to the Joe Torre Safe at Home Foundation to help children.

• The completion of play Sunday night meant that exactly half of the tournament’s games had been played.